In Nigeria, Universal health coverage has been sub-optimal due to limited access and inequality. This is worsened by poor health-seeking behavior due to out-of-pocket expenditure health system financing being practice...In Nigeria, Universal health coverage has been sub-optimal due to limited access and inequality. This is worsened by poor health-seeking behavior due to out-of-pocket expenditure health system financing being practiced by a greater percentage of the population. However, leveraging on the increasing population of Nigerian’s using communication technologies provides a viable and robust platform for improving patient’s care. Consequently, tele-health initiative provides a complementary approach to improving access to quality health and universal health system coverage. Tele-health initiative is Abia state’s input in progressing the Universal Health Coverage mandate of the Federal Government of Nigeria, anchored on the e-Health policy of Nigeria, after its adoption at the 58th NCH in Sokoto in 2016, of which Abia became the pioneer state for the Project. Abia state’s telecommunication market caters to almost 3.5 million active subscribers, making it the single largest provider of services in the state. Objective: The project is designed to ascertain the impact of the tele-health initiative on healthcare service coverage in Abia State. Methodology: This is a descriptive study with the quantitative and qualitative arm. The study was conducted in all the seventeen local government areas in the State. Result: 29,488 incoming calls were related to general health inquiries about basic information, counseling, and support that improved callers’ knowledge and attitude towards their health, concerns, and symptoms. Also, 66.8% of all calls (19,382) were for routine health information, complaints on mild everyday symptoms, chronic disease management, and follow-up care. About 29.6% of total calls (8751) were made by persons seeking information on socially stigmatizing topics and conditions.展开更多
Background The emigration of physicians from low-and middle-income countries(LMICs)to high-income countries(HICs),colloquially referred to as the“brain drain”,has been a topic of discussion in global health spheres ...Background The emigration of physicians from low-and middle-income countries(LMICs)to high-income countries(HICs),colloquially referred to as the“brain drain”,has been a topic of discussion in global health spheres for years.With the call to decolonize global health in mind,and considering that West Africa,as a region,is a main source of physicians emigrating to HICs,this rapid review aims to synthesize the reasons for,and implications of,the brain drain,as well as recommendations to mitigate physician emigration from West African countries to HICs.Methods A literature search was conducted on PubMed,EMBASE and The Cochrane Library.Main inclusion criteria were the inclusion of West African trained physicians’perspectives,the reasons and implications of physician emigration,and recommendations for management.Data on the study design,reasons for the brain drain,implications of brain drain,and proposed solutions to manage physician emigration were extracted using a structured template.The Hawker Tool was used as a risk of bias assessment tool to evaluate the included articles.Results A total of 17 articles were included in the final review.Reasons for physician emigration include poor working conditions and remuneration,limited career opportunities,low standards of living,and sociopolitical unrest.Implications of physician emigration include exacerbation of low physician to population ratios,and weakened healthcare systems.Recommendations include development of international policies that limit HICs’recruitment from LMICs,avenues for HICs to compensate LMICs,collaborations investing in mutual medical education,and incorporation of virtual or short-term consultation services for physicians working in HICs to provide care for patients in LMICs.Conclusions The medical brain drain is a global health equity issue requiring the collaboration of LMICs and HICs in implementing possible solutions.Future studies should examine policies and innovative methods to involve both HICs and LMICs to manage the brain drain.展开更多
In this study,the physicochemical properties of linseed and linseed biofuel were studied and their effect on the flow properties of Nigerian waxy crude oil at different volume fractions was investigated.The Nigerian w...In this study,the physicochemical properties of linseed and linseed biofuel were studied and their effect on the flow properties of Nigerian waxy crude oil at different volume fractions was investigated.The Nigerian wax crude oil was characterized for its specific gravity,API gravity,wax content,pour point and cloud point.The properties of the linseed oil and linseed biodiesel investigated include:density,specific gravity,viscosity,pour point,cloud point and flash point.Upon esterification of the free fatty acid(FFA)contained in the linseed oil reduced from 3.5 to 0.75 and the viscosity of the seed oil reduces from 2169 to 362 mm^(2)/s.The linseed oil and its biodiesel exhibited similar trend of reduced viscosity at higher shear rate,however,linseed biodiesel demonstrated the lowest viscosities,cloud points and pour points owing to reduced fatty contents.The effect of the linseed oil and its biodiesel on the pour point and cloud point of the waxy crude oil was determined;and the performance compared to that of xylene.A rapid drop in the pour point and cloud point was observed with the wax crude pre-heated with 0.1 v/v linseed oil,its biodiesel and xylene.展开更多
文摘In Nigeria, Universal health coverage has been sub-optimal due to limited access and inequality. This is worsened by poor health-seeking behavior due to out-of-pocket expenditure health system financing being practiced by a greater percentage of the population. However, leveraging on the increasing population of Nigerian’s using communication technologies provides a viable and robust platform for improving patient’s care. Consequently, tele-health initiative provides a complementary approach to improving access to quality health and universal health system coverage. Tele-health initiative is Abia state’s input in progressing the Universal Health Coverage mandate of the Federal Government of Nigeria, anchored on the e-Health policy of Nigeria, after its adoption at the 58th NCH in Sokoto in 2016, of which Abia became the pioneer state for the Project. Abia state’s telecommunication market caters to almost 3.5 million active subscribers, making it the single largest provider of services in the state. Objective: The project is designed to ascertain the impact of the tele-health initiative on healthcare service coverage in Abia State. Methodology: This is a descriptive study with the quantitative and qualitative arm. The study was conducted in all the seventeen local government areas in the State. Result: 29,488 incoming calls were related to general health inquiries about basic information, counseling, and support that improved callers’ knowledge and attitude towards their health, concerns, and symptoms. Also, 66.8% of all calls (19,382) were for routine health information, complaints on mild everyday symptoms, chronic disease management, and follow-up care. About 29.6% of total calls (8751) were made by persons seeking information on socially stigmatizing topics and conditions.
文摘Background The emigration of physicians from low-and middle-income countries(LMICs)to high-income countries(HICs),colloquially referred to as the“brain drain”,has been a topic of discussion in global health spheres for years.With the call to decolonize global health in mind,and considering that West Africa,as a region,is a main source of physicians emigrating to HICs,this rapid review aims to synthesize the reasons for,and implications of,the brain drain,as well as recommendations to mitigate physician emigration from West African countries to HICs.Methods A literature search was conducted on PubMed,EMBASE and The Cochrane Library.Main inclusion criteria were the inclusion of West African trained physicians’perspectives,the reasons and implications of physician emigration,and recommendations for management.Data on the study design,reasons for the brain drain,implications of brain drain,and proposed solutions to manage physician emigration were extracted using a structured template.The Hawker Tool was used as a risk of bias assessment tool to evaluate the included articles.Results A total of 17 articles were included in the final review.Reasons for physician emigration include poor working conditions and remuneration,limited career opportunities,low standards of living,and sociopolitical unrest.Implications of physician emigration include exacerbation of low physician to population ratios,and weakened healthcare systems.Recommendations include development of international policies that limit HICs’recruitment from LMICs,avenues for HICs to compensate LMICs,collaborations investing in mutual medical education,and incorporation of virtual or short-term consultation services for physicians working in HICs to provide care for patients in LMICs.Conclusions The medical brain drain is a global health equity issue requiring the collaboration of LMICs and HICs in implementing possible solutions.Future studies should examine policies and innovative methods to involve both HICs and LMICs to manage the brain drain.
文摘In this study,the physicochemical properties of linseed and linseed biofuel were studied and their effect on the flow properties of Nigerian waxy crude oil at different volume fractions was investigated.The Nigerian wax crude oil was characterized for its specific gravity,API gravity,wax content,pour point and cloud point.The properties of the linseed oil and linseed biodiesel investigated include:density,specific gravity,viscosity,pour point,cloud point and flash point.Upon esterification of the free fatty acid(FFA)contained in the linseed oil reduced from 3.5 to 0.75 and the viscosity of the seed oil reduces from 2169 to 362 mm^(2)/s.The linseed oil and its biodiesel exhibited similar trend of reduced viscosity at higher shear rate,however,linseed biodiesel demonstrated the lowest viscosities,cloud points and pour points owing to reduced fatty contents.The effect of the linseed oil and its biodiesel on the pour point and cloud point of the waxy crude oil was determined;and the performance compared to that of xylene.A rapid drop in the pour point and cloud point was observed with the wax crude pre-heated with 0.1 v/v linseed oil,its biodiesel and xylene.
